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Topic: What weird/outrageous requests have you seen on Freecycle/Craigslist? (Read 273410 times)

I am embarrassed to say that my mother posted an outrageous request on my behalf.

She will sometimes help me shop. So, if something needs online legwork to get the best price, I will mention it to her and if she finds a good deal she will tell me about it. She enjoys helping me "spend my money". I found a toddler car seat I wanted. $300 retail. I told her it looked like $200 for new was a really really good price. She posted a Want ad on freecycle for it on my behalf. When I told her that was a bad idea, she said, "But, other people post for expensive stuff and get them." "Why do you think they actually get anything?" "I don't know".

Actually it's in Santa Barbara so yes, the 10-mile commute is quite likely. But what left me hysterical was his idea that someone would rent their car out to him for just over $3/day! (And that's after calling their car "crappy." )

Actually it's in Santa Barbara so yes, the 10-mile commute is quite likely. But what left me hysterical was his idea that someone would rent their car out to him for just over $3/day! (And that's after calling their car "crappy." )

My dad would have done this. He was not allowed to drive anymore, but kept his reasonable (not crappy) car for his grandson to drive when he flew in, and often mentioned that it was a shame the car was just sitting there. So if the grandson was not going to be there, and there was always a month's warning, Dad would have probably rented it for the price of the deductable on his auto insurance after checking with his agent. (Dad was still pretty savy in his 90s.)

Not Freecycle or Craigslist, but the local paper where my mom lives. they have a section where people can ask questions, complain, praise, or seek info or "things" Stuff like can anyone recommend a good gutter cleaner, painter, etc., or where did so and so who used to be at x salon go? and so on.

many times, people ask for stuff, much like Freecycle. Sometimes looking to purchase, which is fine, but many times just looking for free stuff. in some cases, if its something that someone may want to get rid of, and doens't have any value, i'm ok with that. I've seen requests for old magazines for scout craft projects, and I see no issue with that.

What I hate are the requests from people for expensive things, things that might not be necessary. today was one - someone posted saying they are a single mom, and they need household items, a laptop and stereo with speakers. Sorry, but the last two fall under "nice to have but not a necessity" in my book.

My sis is a single mom and needs a laptop. Otherwise she can't get on the computer. Sproglet will unintentionally trash the desktop tower when it's on the floor, and there's no desk that's safe from her for the keyboard. She'll pull at all the wires and has even nearly broken the monitor. A laptop or iPad is the safest way Sis has to use the internet because it's small enough that she can put it up out of Sproglet's reach, all the parts of it at once, and get it down when she needs to use it. She can't go to the library because Sproglet hasn't mastered the quiet part yet, or the sticking close when she's in a new place.

My cousin's memoir of love and loneliness while raising a child with multiple disabilities will be out on Amazon soon! Know the Night, by Maria Mutch, has been called "full of hope, light, and companionship for surviving the small hours of the night."

Not for casual entertainment, no. Elfqueen, however, does need a computer. She works from home, and high speed internet access is vital for her, since much of her job requires it.

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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Common sense is not a gift, but a curse. Because thenyou have to deal with all the people who don't have it. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Considering that more and more things in life are going online, that's an outmoded way of looking at this. Want ads in the newspaper are no longer good ways of finding jobs. Many jobs require online applications. Internet cafes cost money and in the long run, having your own computer may be more economical. Libraries may have computers available but that access has its own issues.

Computers are rapidly moving from "nice to have" all the way to "necessity." I'm sure that people made the same argument about the telephone 100 years ago.

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My sis is a single mom and needs a laptop. Otherwise she can't get on the computer. Sproglet will unintentionally trash the desktop tower when it's on the floor, and there's no desk that's safe from her for the keyboard. She'll pull at all the wires and has even nearly broken the monitor. A laptop or iPad is the safest way Sis has to use the internet because it's small enough that she can put it up out of Sproglet's reach, all the parts of it at once, and get it down when she needs to use it. She can't go to the library because Sproglet hasn't mastered the quiet part yet, or the sticking close when she's in a new place.

A stereo with speakers, though, is over the top.

I'd say sproglet needs some training because I know kids can be taught from a very young age what the word "no" means. Cats.. not so much

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"I feel sarcasm is the lowest form of wit." "It is so low, in fact, that Miss Manners feels sure you would not want to resort to it yourself, even in your own defense. We do not believe in retaliatory rudeness." Judith Martin

I can see asking if anyone has an old laptop because a student can't afford one or needs something for a project (learning to repair a computer, learning programming, or learning to use Linux for office tasks - as examples) and I have given some away... on Craigslist.

But I do mention the specs of the computer and its age when I am offering it - so if 256mb and a 2gb hard drive aren't going to work - the person knows before they arrange to meet me.

And the person who wanted me to hand them a Windows 8 desktop when I told them that it was XP, had no hard drive, and could be upgraded with more RAM - but that *I* wasn't going to do it....we met in the parking lot of a local electronics superstore so that they could pick up whatever they wanted or needed....instead I got "attitude" about how I hadn't delivered a computer that matched what they thought I was bringing to them...

I checked my emails when I got home. I don't know what they were griping about, unless they were supposed to meet someone else entirely....at the same time and the same place.

I saw one the other week where a woman said that she had an amazing opportunity to attend a 6 month retreat. She was really excited about it and said it was "a great opportunity for her." So she was looking for someone who would keep her cat for her for 6 months and then give it back when she came home. She went on for a bit about how sweet the cat was, and then said "I'm open to talking about a stipend, if that seems like something that is important to you." I guess there was just something about that wording that rubbed me the wrong way. It came off as "I have a chance to follow my dreams and my cat is such a delight that you should just enjoy pet sitting her as a favor to me, and gee, if you really feel like you NEED to be paid anything for that privilege, I guess I can talk to you about it." I can't imagine even asking my best friend to care for one of my pets for 6 months and not offering some kind of payment up front, so it surprises me that she'd be asking total strangers to watch her cat for free.

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I assume you heard the way she spoke to me at dinner.Of course, but how does it help to answer rudeness with rudeness? --Downton Abbey

I was uncertain as to whether to put this into this thread or the scammer one as it fits both perfectly. Posted in the "Wanted" section of our CL this morning:

Quote

Iīm a 33 years old and seriously ill single-mom from Germany and I have a big heartīs desire. I canīt fulfill it by myself, because it is about 130,000 USD. Is there anybody, who can subsidize me (with some Dollars) My paypal-account is cinderella.2011@web.de. If you have any other ideas, where I can get so much money, please let me know. Iīll be in Santa Barbara in October this year.

I was uncertain as to whether to put this into this thread or the scammer one as it fits both perfectly. Posted in the "Wanted" section of our CL this morning:

Quote

Iīm a 33 years old and seriously ill single-mom from Germany and I have a big heartīs desire. I canīt fulfill it by myself, because it is about 130,000 USD. Is there anybody, who can subsidize me (with some Dollars) My paypal-account is cinderella.2011@web.de. If you have any other ideas, where I can get so much money, please let me know. Iīll be in Santa Barbara in October this year.

She didn't even say what her big desire is?

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It takes two people to play tug of war. If you don't want to play, don't pick up the rope.